Aelona cuCyve
Aelona cuCyve (b. 528SR - d. 572SR) was the Empress of the Dual Thrones, The Declared Fourth Aitah, Light Incarnate, a princess of the Cyvekt dynasty, and granddaughter to Fulwarc II, Prince of Bone. She was born during the second month of winter in 528 SR at the Palace on the Rock in Lexevh to Unger and Tisza, the crown prince and princess of the Cyvekt dynasty. Early Life The first seven years of her life were spent at The Palace on the Rock in Lexevh. Her mother had great difficulty in birthing her, which led to later problems in conceiving and then birthing other children. Her education by Hynasf, the long standing adviser to the crown, and a number of southern diplomats, educators and religious authorities, sent by Redeemer Jahan, shaped her worldview. It is from these men, and her father, that she learned the Satar boardgame Kalis. At the age of six, her father and grandfather left on campaigns as dictated by the new Redeemer of the Karapeshai, Avetas. As her grandfather conquered their ancient nemesis, her father assaulted the Carohan outpost on the island of Gilot in the Yadyevu Sea. His premature death, and the death of her mother and stillborn brother, shifted power to her uncle, Glynt, and forced her into imprisonment as a ward under her distant cousin, Cuskar I, Lord of Lemdeh. Flight From Ederrot Aelona spent five years as ward to her cousin at Lemdeh, in his fortress The Birthstone. His kindness, and political position, gave him leeway in her upbringing. He continued her education and protected her actively from the threats of her uncle. Her time spent in Lemdeh changed her religious views, opening her mind to the world of pre-Maninist polytheism on Ederrot. Her education in this native religion shaped her opposition towards Ardavani thought. In 541 SR, she fled from Lemdeh with the support of Cuskar, boarded a ship and sailed across the Gilbok Channel to the Kingdom of Nech, where her mother's brother, Katu the Older, reigned as king. Here she found safety, but held ulterior motives. As the Nechekt king waged war against Tarena to the south and by extension the Dual Empire, they considered peace on favorable terms with gains. Aelona's arrival pushed the King of Nech toward the decision to switch sides, taking tribute and peace in exchange for his service against the League of Gallasa alongside the Dual Empire. Aelona traveled south with her uncle's army. They passed briefly through Pamala on their journey to Edrim. In Edrim she sought court with the Emperor of the Dual Thrones, Khatai I, to beg of his aid for her return to the north and her claim on the Cyvekt Kingdom. Here, the Nechekt army of four thousand men joined the Aitahist coalition in the campaign across Gallasa. Declaration of the Light Incarnate An unusual series of events followed the merging of Nechekt arms with the Coalition army at Edrim. Khatai I, claiming a spiritual vision foretelling their arrival, began to make statements on his belief that Aelona was the Fourth Aitah. Records taken by his bureaucrats present at the court in the city have mixed reports of the conversations that led him to believe this, but most have deferred to Khatai’s statements that Aelona must be the Fourth Aitah based on a number of prophetic traits and sayings that she fulfilled unknowingly. Historians recording the campaign and court activities have expressed various criticisms towards Aelona on her course of action following the revelation of her believed identity. She moved quickly to form a romantic tie with Khatai, who had until then remained unmarried. Critics state that she misused her assumed status to greatly improve her political appeal as a spouse to one of the most powerful monarchs on the continent. Within three weeks of her arrival at Edrim, she married Khatai in a lavish ceremony, dressed in red silk as a symbol of her new identity. From this moment forward, critics within the empire were forced to accept her as the Fourth Aitah—somewhat reluctantly—based on the decrees of their emperor, however, brooding discontent among the elite remained unchecked. Her status as both empress and Light Incarnate was wholly dependent on the protection of those around her. Numerous attempts on her life were made during Khatai’s campaigning seasons, with none succeeding. She remained in Gurach year round, raising her children and writing religious texts as deemed necessary by Khatai. During this time, Aelona became addicted to the opiate, colloquially known as Nightdraft , using it to force hallucinations she could then interpret as visions. The rest of her time within the palace is little known and highly speculated, as she became increasingly reclusive as the war waged in the west. Servants that witnessed her behavior described her as constantly unclothed, filthy, and mad. In the North She fled to Stettin lands after the assassination of her husband, and an attempt on her own life. Here she converted the King of Brunn, his kingdom included, during the final few years of her life. Later historians attribute her illness and early death at the age of fourty-four to cancer, a possible side effect of years of substance abuse. Legacy The first few decades after her death saw an explosion of Aitahism in the north, notably in Brunn and Cyve. With the proclamation of her daughter, Kintyra, as the Fifth Aitah, Aelona's success as a prophet of Aitahism appeared secure. Her writings on everything from philosophy to medicine would be compiled and copied into numerous manuscripts, known collectively as Whispers . Since her death, she is considered by Lobardian thinkers to be the only true White individual to have ever lived. Several shrines in Ereithaler depict her face as a white circle, representing that all Stetin peoples can "fill in the blank" and imitate her Pathist example, fulfilling their own Path. Children Aelona has given birth to three healthy children to Khatai, the first being born when she was sixteen years old. Like her mother, Aelona experienced great difficulties in birthing all three, and suffered a miscarriage between Qasaarai and Qasra. Qasaarai V (m), born 544 SR, was the eleventh and final emperor of the Dual Empire Qasra (m), born 548 SR, suffered from epilepsy, possibly from Aelona's abuse of opiates during the pregnancy Kintyra (f), born 550 SR, declared Fifth Aitah, brought the Immolation upon Gallat. Category:People Category:Ederru